The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1887-02-17
MINNESOTA NEWS.
MINNESOTA @. A. R.
The Annual Encampment OF the State Depart.
ment at st. Paul.

The seventh annual encampment OF the
Department OF Minnesota, G.. A. II. was
held at ST. Paul. Nearly all the officers
were present and representatives from al
the posts. A committee, consisting OF G.
Z. Andrews, G. Ives and s. +. Snider, was
appointed to take steps looking to the in
corporation OF the department under the
laws OF the state. The report Of the
committee appointed at the last encamp
msnt or the matter OF the soldiers home
was read. The report set forth that the
committee had prepared the bill. intro
duced into the present legislature by Sena-
tor Pope, providing for an appropriation
OF 500, 600 for home, $4,000 to be
spent for grounds. The bill was explained
in detail
1t was voted that an earnest invitation
be extended to such members OF the legis-
lature rs are members OF the G. 4. r. tC
be present and participate in the consid
GRAFTON OF the matter before the depart
ment. The following committee was
appointed to consider and report on all
resolutions and communications pertain
ing to pensions and bounties:
w. w. Day. l.. NJ. Lange, w. w. Camp.
bell, H. A. Castle. J. II. Barrett.
A resolution was passed requesting the
legislature to pass law making Memorial
day Il legal holiday. The assistant adult
ant general was authorized to send the
following telegram to Presidsnt Clevel nd
The Department of Minnesota, G. A. R.,
assembly in seventh annual encampment,
unanimously endorses the provisions oil
the dependent soldiers pension bill, under
stood to be in your excellency's hands for
action, and urgently request your favor
able consideration thereof as a measure
OF justice most urgently needed.
The reports of the department officers
were then presented, synopsis OF which
follows:
The report OF Department Commander
William Thomas first commended the
unanimity OF feeling displayed on all sides
blythe members OF the encumpment in
the state.
Active steps had been taken to bring all the
members into closer harmony. The sum oil
$3.50 had been expended for postage and
travelling expenses, incident to working w
this better order OF things. Jan. l, 1856
there were 143 posts in this department,
135 being reported. Jan. !, 1887, there
were 1873 posts, l so being reported. There
were eight delinquent each year. In / $50
fifteen new posts were added. Jan. / 1856
the membership in good standing was
6,672:Jan. l., SS7. 5O5;net gain, Il SO. Lost
by death in 1886. 50; reported dropped,
300; suspended, 943. The report OF the
assistant quarterL aster general shows
balance on hand Feb. 8, 1856, 81, 557.-
80; present balance $3,272.93; net in,
crease. S715.34. Amount expended for re
lief in the past year, So, 124. SO; number oi
comrades relieved, 1875, number OF
other persons, "a; amount contributed to
the Grant monument fund, $S6.75; to
Charleston sufferers by earthquakes, $257.-
50.
Assistant Adjutant Daniel Fi,h OF Min.
neapolis gave report OF the doings Of his
office, much OF which is found in the com.
mander's report. A complete list OF all the
posts in the state, with the memoe shi p,
was subjoined to the report. The following
posts were organized during the year:
Gen. Hancock, No. 146 Henderson,; Ord,
Park Rapids; Bircher, No. 14S, st. Paul;
B. F. sweet, No. 149, Heron Lake; d. c.
Ford, No. $50, Mazeppa; George B. Ad-
ans, No. 151, Eagle Bend; Cassus Fair
child, No. 152; Dawson: l.. p. Pence. No
153, Morristown; j. c. Whipple, No. 154
Montrose Gen. Shields, No. 155, Shake.
pee; Col. David Hughes, No. 1856, Lamber.
ton: Albert Woodbury., No. 157, Cam
bridge; William R. Baxter, No. 1873, Chas
ka;-No. 1OS Renville.
With the minor changes mentioned the
Pope bill was unanimously endorsed. In
the afternoon there was large amount OF
routine business transacted and a long
list OF resolutions was adopted. A conden.
sation of the same viii be found below:
THEY RESOLVED.
We tender he artiest thanks to the commit.
tee on soldiers home for it's efficient labors
in behalf OF the object committed to its care,
yeiw OF past differences Of opinion as to de-
- ,1 al Eel,
soldiers home and to provide for Temporal
ry relief to such ex-soldiers as may not
desire to reside in such home; resolved,
that the compromise bill prepared by the
special committee of the two houses OF the
legislature (Pope's billy be approved and
it's passage urged in substantially the same
form. We gratefully express hearty
appreciation OF the noble, self-sacrificing
work of the Woman's Relief corps. The
adjutant general is to forward to each
post comm ander OF the department pa
per setting forth the object OF the relief corps
with orders that it be read before each
post. Voted to appoint a committee OF
three to thoroughly investigate the claims
was the first to enlist in the war, and, il
possible, to settle the question forever. Ii
this be possible, to definitely settle who
was the first man to enlist in the Union
army from Minnesota.
Maj T. NJ. Newson. Albert Scheffcr and
J. j. McCardy were appointed:
The council of Administration reported
the amount received for dues 50, 1906. 80.
The report Of Assistant Quartermaster
General Mead and sRast Assistant
Quartermaster Pratt showed the
cash on hand Feb. il, S2,557.-
SO; total receipts for the year, 81
.1> 4.
balance on hama at date. 81, ,277.93 OF
which 50, O5O is on depoist at 5 per cent in
the Gerlnania bank. St. Paul. The de.
partment commander elect was directed
to appoint committee OF three to pro.
cure a testimonial for the retiring com
me nder, and chose Perry StarkWeather,
William Montgomery and W, w. P.
THE OFFICERS. ELECT.
The election OF officers was the most i'm.
portant business Of the afternoon. While
the G. A. r. is supposed to be an entirely
non-political organization yet this does
not prevent any amount 81 political wire.
pulling on the inside when an election OF
officers is uuder way, and there
was q large amount of quiet work
done in this line. The last Of the
officers were not chosen until nearly
o'clock in the evening, after which the
leading ones we're installed. The list OF
pficers-elect for the ensuing year is as
follows:
Commander, l.. l.. Wheelock, Owatonna;
senior vice commander, +. Il, Jefferson,
Duluth; junior vice commander. James
Eye, Minneapolis; medical director,
D: P. Kennedy, Litchfeld; chaplain.
W. f. Stanley, Austin; council OF
administration, Thomas Montgomery, L.
G. Nelson. Perry Starkweather, r. G. Liv.
ingstone, j. NJ. d. Croft; delegates to the
national encampment, James II. Drake
(at large), Joseph Bobleter, l.. A. Han
cock, George B. Arnold. A. Barto, NJ. II.
Sessions, Samuel Bloomei, A. II. Fitch,
alternates, +. M. Pope (at large), C. H.
Robinson, r. s. Davidson. w. +. Suther.
land, c. Fl. Graves, +. r. Perkins, 1e,niel
Fish, Charles j. Steens. -
After prolonged discussion it was re-
solved TO meet next year in Minneapolis,
and to hold thesomi-annual summer en-
campment: at Sauk Center. i IL had been
decided to- have 1, Banquet in the 'evening
in Market hall: but this was finally pbat
poned.' The department adjourneN sine
die about s o'clock In the evening.
Il. Wheelock OF Owatanna, who has
been honored with the election as COM
mander, is about fifty years OF age, and
has, for the past twenty years. been o resi-
dent OF the State OF Minnesota. He came
hero fro,y, Tho To ok nd 1OcatoI in 0wnf Ii